Biography
Zaki Wahhaj is a Professor of Development Economics in the Department of International Development. He obtained a PhD in Economics from MIT, and BSc in Economics with Mathematics from Yale University.
His research expertise is in Development Economics with regional focus on South Asia and West Africa. Prior to joining King’s, he was a Professor of Economics at the University of Kent, Lecturer in Development Economics at the University of Oxford, and Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Namur, Belgium.
Research
- marriage markets in developing countries;
- household decision-making in developing countries;
- access to finance for marginalised groups;
- evolution of social norms and informal institutions.
Zaki's main fields of research are in economic development and microeconomic theory. His current research deals, broadly, with the themes of social norms and household decision-making, including work on marriage markets, women’s economic participation, financial inclusion, risk-coping strategies, and the impact of formal law on customary practices.
Teaching
- 4YYD0003 "Economic Analysis of Emerging Economies"
- 5YYD0016 "Microeconomics for Development Economics"
PhD Supervision
Zaki is available to supervise PhD students on the following topics:
- intra-household decision-making;
- social and cultural norms;
- financial access;
- informal and formal insurance social networks;
- health and education in developing countries.